Crucible-carrier.



4 No. 642,89l. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

J. P. BAILEY.

CRUCIBLE CARRIER.

(Application filed Aug. 26, 1899.)

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No. 642,89l. Patented Feb. 6, I900. J. P. BAILEY.

CRUCIBLE CARRIER.

(Application filed Aug. 26, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIGS.

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CRUClBLE-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,891, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed August 26, 1899- Serial No. 728,558. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Crucible- Carriers, of which improvements the followin g is a specification.

In the production of crucible-steel it is necessary that the metal contained in crucibles be placed in a furnace and subjected to an exceedingly high temperature. Access to such a furnace is had from above, and the crucibles are lowered and raised vertically into and out of it. The top of the furnace is formed of movable plates, which are raised or pushed aside when it is necessary to have access to the furnace either for introducing or removin g the crucibles. I'Ieretofore it has been the practice to employ workmen to lower the crucibles into and remove them from the furnace. These workmen are provided with instruments called tongs, with which they grasp the crucibles and raise or lower them. It is necessary to this manual operation that these operators shall in moving the crucibles stand at the mouth of the furnace, so that they can both see and reach with their tongs the interior of the furnace. The heat being intense, it is necessary that the operators shall act with great quickness in order to avoid injury. These operators command relatively high wages, both because their labor involves skill and because it is in its nature hazardous.

The object of the present invention is to provide a carrier for crucibles which shall re quire no adjustment and which may be operated by proper machinery for the purpose of lowering the crucibles into and removing them from the furnace. Thus skilled labor may be dispensed with and a danger ofserious accidents removed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a View, partly in section, of a crucible-heating furnace, showing my improved crucible-carrier and means for operating it. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same apparatus in another operative position. Fig. 3'is a sectional view on the line III III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4B is a sectional view on the line IV IV of Fig. 1.

1 represents a crucible-furnace of familiar form.

2 represents the movable lid or cover of the furnace, and 3 represents the floor of the furnace.

4 4 represent crucibles of the usual bulged form.

5 represents the improved cmicible-carrier. It consists of a downwardly-extending loop of pipe, preferably of wrought-iron, the lower extremity of this loop being shaped into a coil 6. The shape and size of this coil are determined by the shape and size of the crucible. As shown in Fig. 4, this coil is circular, the crucibles, as shown, being circular. The inner diameter of the coil is slightly less than the external diameter of the crucible at its largest part. The coil thus formed will engage the crucible immediately below its middle, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and will hold it securely. The upper extremities of this carrier 5 are connected with pipes which convey cooling fluid to and from the carrier. The object in providing a flow of fluid through the carrier is to keep the carrier cool and prevent it from being melted or distorted in form while it is subjected to the intense heat of the furnace.

The carrier is connected with the fluid supply and exhaust in such manner that the carrier may be freely moved up and down. This I preferably accomplish by employing flexible connections, as indicated at 14 and 15.

My invention is preferably used in connec tion with power mechanism for lowering and raising the crucibles into and out of the furnace, and any suitable mechanism for accomplishing this end may be employed. Preferably, however, I em ploy fluid-pressure for this purpose.

Inthe accompanying drawings I have shown a furnace capable of receiving six crucibles. I have shown a set of six crucibles and crucible-carriers for moving them, and I have further shown, diagrammatically, fluid-pressure means of lowering and raising the carriers bearing the crucibles into and out of the fur nace.- One of the upper extremities of each of these crucible-carriers is connected to a transverse pipe 17 and the other extremity to a second transverse pipe 18. These two pipes 17 and 18 are connected with pipes 7 and 8, through which the liquid flows to and from the carriers.

9 represents a cylinder, within which travels a piston 10. The pipes 7 and 8- extend through the cylinder and piston. Stuflingboxes 11 are provided at the points Where the pipes pass through the lower piston-head. The piston 10 is securely fastened to the pipes. In the lower part of the cylinder 9 is secured an induction and eduction pipe 12. This pipe is provided with a three-Way valve 13, which connects pipe 12 alternately with water-supply under pressure and with an exhaust-pipe.

The operation of my crucible-carrier will be readily understood. The crucible when ready to be placed in the furnace is placed in the coil of my carrier. The carrier and the crucible are lowered into the furnace, and as the carrier approaches the floor of the furnace the crucible stands on the floor. The carrier descends until the coil rests upon the furnacefloor, no longer in contact with the crucible. lVhen the operation in the furnace is completed, the carrier is raised. As it rises it engages the exterior of the crucible again and conveys it from the furnace. During the en tire operation liquid is flowing through the carrier, thus keeping it cool, and the advantage derived from allowing the carrier to rest on the floor of the furnace freed from contact with the crucible is that the cooling effect of the carrier does not appreciably affect the heating operation.

It will be understood that this carrier may be raised and lowered by hand, if desired, and when so used will possess an advantage over the tongs generally used heretofore, since no manipulation is required to engage it with the crucible. Thus the operator can lower and raise the crucible with greater expedition, and consequently with less risk. I prefer, however, to operate my carrier by machinery and have therefore shown in the accompanying drawings and described a machine adapted to this end. Vhen the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the

the crucibles and carrier will be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1. The lid or cover 2 is then replaced and the apparatus left in the position shown in Fig. 1 until the heating operation is completed. Then the lid or cover 2 is again removed from the furnace and the valve 13 turned until the water-supply is admitted through pipe 12 to cylinder 9. The water-pressure acting upon piston 10 then raises it, and in so doing brings the cruciblecarrier, with the crucible, back to the position shown in Fig. 2. The crucible may then be removed.

In claiming, in combination with my crucible-carrier, means for lowering and raising the carrier into and out of the furnace I do not limit myself to the hydraulic means shown, but include as within the scope of my invention any suitable means by which this end may be accomplished.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. A crucible-carrier having in combination a loop of pipe, its lower extremity being shaped to form a series of two or more coils which are adapted to receive and carry a crucible in upright position, and its upper extremities connected one with a liquid-supply and the other with a discharge, substantially as set forth.

2. A crucible-carrier formed of a loop of pipe, its lower extremity being shaped into a coil adapted to receive a carrier and crucible in upright position, and its upper extremities being connected one with a liquid-supply and the other with a discharge, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

. JAMES P. BAILEY.

Vitnesses:

BAYARD II. CHRISTY, M. S. MURPHY. 

